Arsene Wenger today angrily rejected claims he is close to signing a new deal at Arsenal and urged his team to respond to their critics by beating Bayern Munich.

One report this morning suggested Wenger is in discussions over a two-year extension to his contract, which expires in 2014.

However, Standard Sport understands no such talks have taken place and although the club are keen to prolong Wenger’s 17-year tenure, all parties have decided it is best to wait until the summer to discuss the future.

In a stormy press conference at London Colney ahead of tomorrow’s last-16 first-leg clash, Wenger rejected speculation over his contract in the strongest terms.

“That is the wrong information. I’ve worked for 16 years in England and I think I deserve a bit more credit than wrong information that has only one intention: to harm,” he said. “If it is good information which comes from nowhere it is alright, but this is wrong information that comes from nowhere. It is completely wrong.”

Wenger is under fire after Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Blackburn ended their interest in the FA Cup to leave the Champions League as their last chance to end an eight-year trophy drought.

Bayern represent a daunting obstacle. Last season’s runners-up sit 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and have won all five matches in 2013 without conceding a goal.

Arsenal are clear outsiders to progress but Wenger said: “We know well what is going on here. What is important is to forget what people say and focus on our strengths. We play for Arsenal in the last 16 of the Champions League, we have qualified for a long, long time.

“What is important is not what ­people say, it is what happens on the pitch. We live in a democracy of experts and opinions but we have to live with that, cope with that and show we have the mental strength to deal with any ­opinion. There are a lot of experts who are not necessarily always right.

“The most important aspect is that we have a way to play that everyone in the team knows. We must play with a positive mentality because that is not completely the case 24 hours before the game. It is important you believe you have a good chance and enough quality to win. The psychological aspect, especially with what happened on Saturday, is more important than anything else.”

Wenger also railed on the club’s critics, denying his decision to rotate seven players against Blackburn affected the outcome.

“We have been accused of not putting out a strong team in the FA Cup,” he said. “That is an insult to the players who played. There were 11 internationals on the pitch and I would like to say that we did not lose the game with the players who started. We lost it in the last 20 minutes. I’ve been accused of not taking FA Cup seriously. I’ve won the FA Cup four times. Who has won it more? Give me one name.

“There are a lot of superficial analyses. We have to accept the blame for going out but you have to put things into perspective. You have to analyse it. Because one guy says one thing, everybody has to go the same way.”

Fanzine The Gooner have called on Wenger to go and want supporters to protest eight minutes into games to mark their silverware drought.

However, majority shareholder Stan Kroenke and chief executive Ivan Gazidis remain staunch supporters of Wenger’s philosophy, believing their policy of self-sustainability will finally reap dividends this summer, when they are prepared to give him £70million to spend in the transfer window.

Laurent Koscielny missed training this morning to focus on gym work with Wenger admitting the centre-back is a doubt for the game. Nacho Monreal is cup-tied but Carl Jenkinson is available as his domestic suspension does not apply in European competition.